1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for providing roaming incoming screening (RIS) in a wireless intelligent network (WIN) wherein a mobile subscriber can selectively block incoming calls while roaming in a visited service area.
2. Description of Related Art
Subscriber services in the radio telecommunications industry are generally categorized into the following groups: (i) originating services, (ii) terminating services, (iii) network services, and (iv) transferring services. Whereas providing better subscriber services overall has always been a much sought-after goal in the industry since its beginnings, it is the improvements in terminating services that has garnered wide attention recently. Two concerns, significant for today""s users of radio telecommunications services (also commonly known as mobile subscribers), appear to provide the impetus in this regard: pricing and flexibility regarding incoming-call acceptance. In some geographic areas where a xe2x80x9ccalled party paysxe2x80x9d pricing system is prevalent, these two concerns overlap to a large extent.
Terminating services are defined as services that are invoked when a calling party attempts to reach a subscriber and typically relate to how an incoming call from the calling party is to be handled. The services are triggered by the reception of the destination number (or B-number) of the called party. While several solutions currently exist with respect to providing flexibility in accepting incoming calls, these solutions are typically directed to time-based mechanisms for selectively blocking incoming telephone calls. These current solutions, however, do not address the issue of providing flexibility in accepting incoming calls based on the location of a mobile subscriber xe2x80x94 an important consideration when the called party has to pay applicable long distance tolls and roaming charges as well.
Accordingly, based upon the foregoing discussion, it should be readily appreciated that in order to overcome the deficiencies and shortcomings of the existing solutions, it would be advantageous to have a method and system for providing an incoming-call screening mechanism in a radio telecommunications network based on a subscriber""s location. The present invention provides such a method and system.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a radio telecommunications network system covering a geographic area that is comprised of a plurality of service areas, each of which is served by a mobile switching center (MSC). The MSCs are identified by an identification indicator (MSCID). The plurality of MSCIDs are clustered into one or more groups, each of which covers a corresponding geographic area, defined as a region. The network system includes a Home Location Register (HLR) which comprises a subscriber profile record associated with a mobile subscriber. The subscriber profile record includes a service trigger for invoking a termination service. The HLR also includes a mechanism for generating a call treatment instruction based on the termination service trigger in the subscriber profile record. The network system further includes a Service Control Point (SCP) for executing a call delivery service script in response to the call treatment instruction provided by the HLR. The SCP includes a service profile record having an indication that an incoming call placed by a calling party is not to be delivered to the mobile subscriber when the mobile subscriber is located in a first region served by an MSC in a first MSCID group. In alternative embodiments, the termination service trigger may be provided by another SCP or one of the MSCs participating in the radio telecommunications network.
In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a radio telecommunications network system which comprises a first plurality of MSCs, each of which serves a first corresponding service area and a second plurality of MSCs, each of which serves a second corresponding service area. The network system also includes an HLR for keeping track of a mobile subscriber""s location and for storing the mobile subscriber""s service category profile, wherein the service category profile includes a service trigger. An SCP is provided in the network system for executing one or more service scripts associated with the mobile subscriber, responsive to the service trigger in the HLR. The SCP includes a service profile record having at least one indication that when the mobile subscriber is located in the first corresponding service area, an incoming call placed by a calling party is to be delivered to the mobile subscriber and at least one indication that when the mobile subscriber is located in the second corresponding service area, the incoming call placed by the calling party is not to be delivered to the mobile subscriber.
In a yet further aspect, the present invention is related to a method of call termination with respect to a mobile subscriber in a radio telecommunications network. An incoming call from a calling party, wherein the incoming call is intended for the mobile subscriber, is received by an MSC of the network system. The MSC interrogates an HLR to determine the location of the mobile subscriber. The HLR then determines whether there is a suitable service trigger available for the mobile subscriber. In response to the determination step, an SCP determines whether the incoming call is to be delivered to the mobile subscriber, based on the mobile subscriber""s location. Then the incoming call is selectively delivered to the mobile subscriber.